Weigh the Work AheadHow can your team accurately predict and communicate meaningful delivery timelines when it is constantly fielding changes from the multiple business units it serves? Here is a detailed look at how one Scrum-centered team used a four-step approach to estimate timelines for work far into the future.
Uncle Sam Isn’t AgileFederal agencies are turning to Agile methods to lower costs, increase efficiencies and improve IT success rates, but entrenched cultural and operational realities are holding back meaningful change. Here’s a critical analysis of why Agile is stalling in the federal sector and what needs to be done to jump-start it.
The Need for NegativeWe all know the benefits of positive thinking, but seeing the glass half-full does not make it full. The fact is, many failed projects overdose on optimism first. So whether it's called cynicism, skepticism or negativity, questioning rose-colored project assumptions and expectations is a healthy habit for all team members.
Are your project retrospectives getting a bit stale, diluting their effectiveness? Keeping retrospectives fresh for your team requires diligence on your part, but the rewards from continuous improvement are worth it. Here are three fun, simple retrospective techniques that can help get your teams re-engaged.
Project leaders often make decisions in the face of uncertainty and available choices might or might not produce the desired outcome. In these cases, a decision tree can help identify the “best” choice — the one most likely to give you what you want most of the time. Here’s an example of how to use a decision tree.
Virtual communication has changed the way dispersed project teams collaborate, presenting major advantages and some new challenges. Here are five keys to building rapport with team members through virtual channels, and 11 tips for composing more effective email messages.
Scenarios and storyboards are great tools to describe how users interact with a product. They also complement user stories by helping to explore risk, discover new user stories, and capture the relationship between stories. Here is a primer on what these tools are, and how they can be used in an agile context.
Busy project managers must prioritize their time and energy when working with stakeholders. This can be accomplished by using a simple matrix to gauge their impact on your projects, based on attributes such as power, interest, influence and knowledge. Here, we will focus on power and interest.
At a Congressional subcommittee hearing held April 24, Project Management Institute shared lessons learned on how the Department of Homeland Security can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its programs.
A new study of successful project management offices details how Dell Services, IBM and others manage projects for maximum value, identifying 14 best practices including significant investments in PM training and an intergrated approach to resource forecasting and loading.
New global survey from PMI finds organizations risk $135 million for every billion spent on projects due to deficient project and program management practices, including lack of formal training, standardization and strategic alignment.
ADVERTISEMENTS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
ADVERTISEMENT
Dave PriorAgile Consultant, BigVisible Solutions
Dave Prior, PMP, CST, MBA is an Agile Consultant for BigVisible where he…
|
Vincent McGevnaPrincipal, Vincent McGevna Consulting
Sr. Project Management Consultant and e-Learning Developer.
|
Will KellyFreelance Technology Writer, Will Kelly Writes
Will Kelly got his start working in the information technology industry …
|
Wayne GrantScrum Master
I am a Scrum Master with a strong background in development and have a p…
|
Janis RizzutoContributing Editor, ProjectsAtWork
Janis has been writing for ProjectsAtWork for more than a decade, starti…
|
Aaron SmithEditorial Director, ProjectsAtWork.com
Aaron has been the editor of ProjectsAtWork since 2001, leading its evol…
|
Let's say you are in the market for a new desktop computer.
And...when I say new, I mean "new" in the sense that it is one of the first ever.
How about these headliner featur...
Posted in: People, Planet, Profits & Projects
We all have probably heard that phrase - "I told you a thousand times", from our sons, daughters, moms, dads, spouses, nurses, doctors, customers, bosses, and so on. ...
Posted in: People, Planet, Profits & Projects
Personal Kanban Experiment... Weeks 10-12
Kanban. (expletive) Still only in Kanban. Every time I think I’m gonna wake up...
Posted in: The Reluctant Agilist
Project managers are a pragmatic lot. That’s what we really like about them. They are always looking for the “facts”, the bottom-line, and no BS. Whet...
Posted in: People, Planet, Profits & Projects
Changepoint helps businesses gain competitive advantage and increase profitability through complete portfolio visibility, planning insight, process automation, and improved resource utilization throughout a customer’s lifecycle.
Project Insight, project and portfolio management software, is powerful for project managers, and easy for team members to learn and adopt.
AtTask: the only project and portfolio management software that meets the business intelligence needs of executives, the planning needs of managers, and the collaboration needs of project teams, helping organizations get jobs done on time, on budget.
ADVERTISEMENTS
M. A: "Fully agree, this is informative" on The Challenge of Change
May 24, 2013
M. A: "Valuable steps to be customized for effective CM" on Lead Your Team Through Change
May 24, 2013
M. A: "Valuable steps to be customized for effective CM" on Lead Your Team Through Change
May 24, 2013
Abhay S: "Would that be ProSci's ADKAR methodology" on Lead Your Team Through Change
May 23, 2013